The Civil Partnership (Registration and Records) (Amendment) Regulations 2021

Amendments to the Civil Partnership (Registration Provisions) Regulations 2005

4.—(1) Regulation 9 is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1), for “(4)” substitute “(9)”.

(3) In paragraph (2)—

(a) in the words before sub-paragraph (a), for “space 6” substitute “space 5”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (h)—

(i) after “it shall” insert “(subject to paragraph (2A))”;

(ii) for “space 6” substitute “space 5”;

(c) in sub-paragraph (i)—

(i) after “it shall”, in the first place those words occur, insert “(subject to paragraph (2B))”;

(ii) for “space 6” substitute “space 5”;

(iii) omit the words from “, however” to the end;

(d) in sub-paragraph (j)—

(i) after “it shall” insert “(subject to paragraph (2C))”;

(ii) for “space 6” substitute “space 5”;

(e) in sub-paragraph (k)—

(i) after “it shall”, in the first place those words occur, insert “(subject to paragraph (2D))”;

(ii) for “space 6” substitute “space 5”;

(iii) omit the words from “, however” to the end;

(f) in sub-paragraph (l)(iv) for “space 6” substitute “space 5”.

(4) After paragraph (2) insert—

“(2A) Where the circumstances are those in paragraphs (i) to (iv) of paragraph (2)(h) and a full gender recognition certificate has been issued under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to either or each of the parties since the formation of the parties’ previous civil partnership—

(a) the registration authority must only make the entry required by paragraph (2)(h) if both parties ask for that entry to be made;

(b) if the parties do not ask for that entry to be made, the registration authority must instead, subject to sub-paragraph (c), enter the words “Previous civil partnership dissolved” in space 5 for each party;

(c) if a party asks for the word “Single” to be entered for that party instead of the words required by sub-paragraph (b), the registration authority must enter that word in space 5 for that party instead of making the entry required by that sub-paragraph for that party.

(2B) Where the circumstances are those in paragraphs (i) to (iv) of paragraph (2)(i) and a full gender recognition certificate has been issued under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to either or each of the parties since the solemnization of the parties’ previous marriage—

(a) the registration authority must only make the entry required by paragraph (2)(i) if both parties ask for that entry to be made;

(b) if the parties do not ask for that entry to be made, the registration authority must instead, subject to sub-paragraph (c), enter the words “Previous marriage dissolved” in space 5 for each party;

(c) if a party asks for the word “Single” to be entered for that party instead of the words required by sub-paragraph (b), the registration authority must enter that word in space 5 for that party instead of making the entry required by that sub-paragraph for that party.

(2C) Where the circumstances are those in paragraphs (i) to (iv) of paragraph (2)(j) and a full gender recognition certificate has been issued under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to either or each of the parties since the formation of the parties’ previous civil partnership—

(a) the registration authority must only make the entry required by paragraph (2)(j) if both parties ask for that entry to be made;

(b) if the parties do not ask for that entry to be made, the registration authority must instead, subject to sub-paragraph (c), enter the words “Previous civil partnership annulled” in space 5 for each party;

(c) if a party asks for the word “Single” to be entered for that party instead of the words required by sub-paragraph (b), the registration authority must enter that word in space 5 for that party instead of making the entry required by that sub-paragraph for that party.

(2D) Where the circumstances are those in paragraphs (i) to (iv) of paragraph (2)(k) and a full gender recognition certificate has been issued under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to either or each of the parties since the solemnization of the parties’ previous marriage—

(a) the registration authority must only make the entry required by paragraph (2)(k) if both parties ask for that entry to be made;

(b) if the parties do not ask for that entry to be made, the registration authority must instead, subject to sub-paragraph (c), enter the words “Previous marriage annulled” in space 5 for each party;

(c) if a party asks for the word “Single” to be entered for that party instead of the words required by sub-paragraph (b), the registration authority must enter that word in space 5 for that party instead of making the entry required by that sub-paragraph for that party.”

(5) For paragraphs (3) and (4) substitute—

“(3) The registration authority must enter information in space 8 of form 9, 10, 9 (w) or 10 (w) (as the case may be) in accordance with paragraphs (4) to (9).

(4) Where a party provides the registration authority with the required information about a parent of that party for inclusion in the civil partnership document, the registration authority must—

(a) enter that information,

(b) if informed by the party that the parent has died, enter the word “deceased” after the parent’s surname, and

(c) if provided with the parent’s former occupation and informed by the party that the parent has or had retired from that occupation, enter the word “retired” after that occupation.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), where a party provides the registration authority with the required information about a step-parent of that party for inclusion in the civil partnership document, the registration authority must—

(a) enter that information,

(b) enter the word “step-parent” after the step-parent’s surname,

(c) if informed by the party that the step-parent has died, enter the word “deceased” after the word “step-parent”, and

(d) if provided with the step-parent’s former occupation and informed by the party that the step-parent has or had retired from that occupation, enter the word “retired” after that occupation.

(6) The registration authority must not enter any information about any step-parent of a party under paragraph (5) if entering all of the required information about step-parents provided by the party for inclusion in the civil partnership document would result in information about more than four individuals in total being entered in space 8 in relation to that party (including information about any parent of the party).

(7) The registration authority must not enter any information about a party’s parents or step-parents other than the information (if any) which this regulation requires the registration authority to enter.

(8) Where the registration authority is not required by this regulation to enter any information at all in space 8 in relation to a party, the registration authority must cause a line to be drawn in ink or printed through that space in the column relating to that party.

(9) In this regulation—

“step-parent”, in relation to a party, means a step-parent who is or has been married to, or the civil partner of, a parent of the party;

“the required information” about a parent or step-parent is the parent’s or step-parent’s—

(a)

name and surname, and

(b)

current occupation or, if the parent or step-parent has no current occupation or has died, former occupation (if any).”